About this tour
Spend eight to nine hours exploring Cognac's heritage from Bordeaux in a private air-conditioned van. Your guide takes you to the Royal Chateau, a 10th-century fortress that became the Otard company's base after two merchants acquired it in 1795. The afternoon focuses on one of Cognac's major distilleries, where you'll learn how this spirit gained Napoleon's favour. Lunch at a local restaurant showcasing regional cooking is yours to arrange, as is entry to attractions and tastings.
Highlights
- Royal Chateau of Cognac, founded circa 950
- Medieval fortress transformed into distillery headquarters
- Behind-the-scenes look at spirit production methods
- Private vehicle with Wi-Fi and bottled water included
- Dedicated driver-guide for personalised pacing
What to expect
You'll depart Bordeaux in a comfortable, air-conditioned van with your English-speaking guide. The drive to Cognac takes roughly 90 minutes. Upon arrival, you'll tour the Royal Chateau—a working distillery housed within 950-year-old walls—and walk through cellars where barrels age the spirit. After lunch (book separately), you'll visit a major Cognac house for a production overview. Children under 18 can tour facilities but won't taste spirits. The return journey retraces your route, arriving back in Bordeaux by early evening.
Good to know
Reserve lunch and distillery tastings in advance; these aren't included. Entry fees and tastings are paid separately. Infants in prams are welcome. Under-18s require an adult supervisor and cannot participate in alcohol tastings. The van includes Wi-Fi for journey entertainment.
Tour sold and operated by Viator via Viator. Descriptions on this page are original BugBitten summaries written by our team — not copied from the operator. Prices and availability are confirmed at checkout.